Beinn Each. The Incredible Magic Of Spring.

The beautiful Simplicity of Snowdrops. The first born of Spring. January/February

 

 Easter Saturday. I'd just returned from my energy sapping trip up Beinn Luibhean, had my dinner and was snoring happily in my sleeping bag in front of a habitually turned off electric fire.(It's not that I cant afford it it's just I really grudge giving those price hiking ******** any money when I don't need to if I can save it for extra trips away instead.) Anyway, I digress. The phone rang waking me up. It was my good mate John asking if I wanted to go up a Corbett in ten hours time. On Easter Sunday. I was knackered but as I don't see him that often these days (family man and all that.) I said I would go.

'Which one.' I asked.
'Beinn Luibhean is handy for me.'
When he rang back again and asked why I'd put the phone down I explained the reasons.
'Pick another handy one.' I asked. 'Make it something easy.'
He said he'd phone back after he'd consulted his dreaded Oracle. The Corbett Book.
Everyone I know these days seems to be addicted to Corbett's... apart from me.
The phone rang some time later, waking me up; causing me to wriggle out of my warm cocoon. An irate caterpillar.
'Beinn Each.' He proclaimed. A happy man.
'Count me out then.' I answered. 'I was only going up a hill to keep you company. I cant be arsed doing one myself.'
'No there's a Corbett called Beinn Each.'
'There is. Silly me.'
'I'll pick you up early.' He said. 'Be ready.'
' I was born ready.' I informed him. 'My minds a coiled spring.'.... I hung up....  and immediately  went back to sleep. (Jungle training. Mark of a solider. Reserve energy until its called for.)
In my Dreams I was still active though, using a part of my brain I never usually bother with. The thinking part.
                                           Crocus Display. Second born. February/March/ April

In my dreams I would create a post of stunning photographs capturing the true Magic of Spring in all its glory, full of dazzling large scale images in radiant colour, back lit by a winter sun. Images so hyper clear you could spill your juice in wonder at such splendour taken with only a bog standard camera. I would then splice it with images of frozen winter on the heights the same day to portray what a strange chaotic season its been and a portent of more extreme seasons yet to come.
   Oh yes. I would be a majestic, hypnotic, online Cassandra for my eager audience to climax under as I foretell an age of ever increasing, apocalyptic occurrence and a biblical scale, tsunami wave of spectacular singularities and unfolding Black Swan events under Dark Lightning. The new unforeseen nemesis of the modern age I'm told.
Feel free to indulge Sweet Readers in a sumptuous psychedelic spurge of sublime synchronicity to stun and stupefy the subliminal and visual cortex in a triumphant, titillating  tribute to a 'better late than never' Spring. (Pity I missed the Victorian music halls.)

Then I woke up and couldn't be arsed with all the effort involved for such scant reward........ so I posted these images instead. ( Note to self. Must cut down on stilton cheese gluttony and Stormin Norman's 30%  battle battalion cider intake late at night.) 

                                           Third Born. Daffodils. March/ April /May.

 

John picked me up early morning and we headed for  Beinn Each which is above Loch Lubnaig near the scenic town of Callander.

The snow level started in the forest almost as soon as we left the car. It was almost a carbon copy of the day before except my legs had far less energy and va va voom in them on the steep bits. He then refused point blank to carry me. Boo hoo.

Unfortunately for me the path up Beinn Each is unremittingly steep but at least its a short day. Under two hours to the summit for fit young things.( Incidentally if anyone has the address of a fit young thing keen on bagging Corbett's I want to apply to get a lift on his/ her shoulders for future mountain endeavours. No money need change hands but invaluable  on the job training would be forthcoming. Would suit a work experience candidate admirably. Full on board instruction given on avoiding avalanches,  best routes up the snowfields, advanced crevasse rescue technique adapted to prusiking out of a chasm with a fat old man lashed to your back, when to stop for dietary intake etc.

Stob Binnien. As far as the eye could see every Munro was still white.

The descent. This was even worse than the route up and involved thigh deep crawling at one point.
A great day out.

Although they are adapted for a life underwater I cant imagine how cold a winter its been for Dippers. Fast running water in mountain streams is always far colder than the sea around our coasts.
Must be a really long grim winter for this wee guy. Endurance. Hardest bird in Britain?
                                             Hybrid primula's. March /April/ May.

A world of colour in the parks below. Spring finally arrives along with British summer time.

Ah Spring. The greatest natural show on earth?

The wildlife certainly think so. The reason for the sequence of Month,s next to the flowers? Well, in certain parts of Scotland Spring seemed to be one week long this year with everything erupting together at one time instead of being staggered over the course of a few weeks. Snowdrops and primula's sharing the earth. I've got snowdrops, crocus, daffodils and primroses  flowering at the same time this week in my garden.  That's unusual. All sharing a limited good weather window. Hope this summer is longer than that...but who knows these days?

If you're lucky, every so often a film will come along that is unique, original, and hauntingly memorable. This Swedish film is one.
Three qualities totally lacking, incidentally, in the English language remake and all the other teen angst dross that's followed in its wonderful wake. This film not only revived a forgotten genre single- handedly it reinvented it yet managed to also weave in a believable and unexpectedly tender love story... with a few shocking moments of darkness and horror.
If you haven't seen this film. Its a real gem.